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Meet Our Staff

More Than A Summer Job

We are so proud of our counselors and staff! Every year we spend months recruiting the very best summer camp counselors. Many of our staff are returning alumni who loved their time as campers and want to give back to the next generation.

Vista Camps seeks out college-age men and women who strongly desire to work with children — building kids up, leading by example, and mentoring the children. Counselors must be high energy, creative, caring, patient, and of good moral character.

Camp gave me a home away from home. As an international student from Australia, homesickness can be a constant struggle, even in your early 20’s! I spent most of my time at Rio Vista with the Elephants (oldest boys at camp) with the thought that I would teach them life in the real world after school, and the experiences I have gained from travelling across the world would benefit them. But across multiple terms and summers, it was the boys in my cabin that taught me about camaraderie, respect, and an appreciation that you can only experience at camp. And everyday I worked at Camp Rio Vista I wished that I was a camper myself. It was a truly special experience that I will always treasure.

Jack
Darwin, NT, Australia

Coming to camp as both a camper and a counselor has changed my life for the better. This is a place where I can truly be myself, and everybody around me loves and accepts me for exactly who I am. I have learned leadership, patience, and understanding from coming to camp year after year. Being a counselor and being able to give each girl a camp experience as amazing as mine was is truly a blessing. I love being able to make a difference in young girls’ lives by teaching them kindness and understanding, the same core values I learned from being a camper for 7 years. There’s nothing better than being at Sierra Vista.

Andrea
Lake Charles, LA

No one can really understand what an impact camp can have in your life until you go deep into the Vista Bubble. Inside you’ll find a group of amazing people, all working towards the same goal, creating the most fun and safe environment for kids to grow in. You get to witness kids coming out of their shell, meeting new friends, becoming more independent, as they make their own beds and choose their own activities. You see campers return year after year, making even more new friends, incredible memories and learning skills that will assist them in being the best version of themselves that they can be, and taking that back out into the real world. It’s an incredible experience and a blessing to be a part of.

Cecy
Monterrey, MX

Rio Vista has been a place of learning and growth in my life for 11 summers. As a little kid I went to camp to have fun, but little did I know that I was learning how to enjoy games and competitions while still being respectful of my friends. As I got to be an older camper, I came across a whole new set of takeaways. This included the power of determination, good leadership, cooperation, friendship, respect and countless more. I’ve learned to be more open with those around me, I’ve learned to let go of certain worries and have fun, and I’ve even learned a little bit about passing on these lessons to the kids who go to camp now to maximize their camp experience.

Jacob
Denver, CO

Being a counselor has been such a gift. As a camper, my overall experience was shaped by my counselors over the years. I could still tell you each counselor’s name that meant something to me, and it’s not a short list. As a counselor, you create fun activities and opportunities for the campers, but most importantly you push every child to be the best version of themselves possible. It’s less of a job, but more of a privilege to be a part of such a vast, loving family. You make a huge impact on every individual camper, and they do the same for you.

Zoe
Katy, TX

Vista Camps is a home away from home, a home I’ve counted down the days returning to year in and year out. I’ve been lucky to be a part of the camp family for 11 years and each year I am shocked at the amount of love and energy that can be packed into a single place. Camp Rio Vista creates friendships that last a lifetime and without some of the people I’ve met during my time at camp, I would not be the man I am today. From camper to counselor, it’s rewarding to see how much we can help campers become excellent young men. Camp will always have a special place in my heart and I am eternally grateful for all it has provided me.

Sam
College Station, TX

Vista Camps is a riveting and beautiful place for newcomers, and a welcoming second home for returners. As a camper for 6 years and in my 3rd year as staff member, I’ve learned that you always need to challenge yourself, and you’ll do great things. Camp is a place where you can be who you want to be, without any doubts of being judged. Coming back to this place over the years has really shaped me into the person I am today and has helped me develop strong traits including bravery, sportsmanship, and the ability to love anyone and everyone. Camp has taught me that you will win and lose, and you have to always keep your head high no matter the circumstance. I come to camp every year because I loved my experience, and want to be able to give that back to the kids.

Donovan
The Colony, TX

My first summer as a counselor was also my first summer at Vista and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. I went to camp knowing no one and hoping that I made the right decision to step out of my comfort zone; little did I know that over the course of the summer, camp would become my comfort zone! I was welcomed into the Vista family immediately and I felt valued by every person I encountered. I left camp with irreplaceable friendships and lessons learned that I could not have found anywhere else. As a counselor, I got to witness the change in mindset and the continual growth of love for camp that was planted in me last summer continue and develop in campers who have been attending camp for years.

Jamie Powell
Lubbock, TX

The camp environment provides an incomparable opportunity for growth. As a three-year camper and two-year counselor, I have experienced this growth and seen it first-hand. The independence someone gains at camp stays with them for a lifetime. They gain a better sense of self when surrounded by friends who accept them for who they are—regardless of quirks, size, race, or ability. The friends I made at camp are some of the people I know I can be my whole self with. And it is this independence, this maturity, this sense of self that has given me the confidence to be the best person I can be today.

Benjamin
Houston, TX

Parents

Meet Our Staff

More Than A Summer Job

100 Years of Singing the Git Up